Essence
by KimranReech
Summary: Every battle needs to come to an end. However, the outcome to this one has already been decided before it began. The questions that remain are, how and why will this battle come to an end like it does. Is it due to the urge of destiny? The will of fate? The order of god? Or, is it maybe...simply decided by the resolve of an ordinary human?


**A/N: Just a little One-Shot about one of my favourite scenes in Awakening, with my favourite characters to boot.**

 **This was created more by accident then anything else, as I wanted to write something competely different initially, but I just went with it and took it as a learning experience for my other story.**

 **Thanks to gokart48 for beta reading and having the patience to keep up with me.**

 **Kimran: Do you want to say something to the readers?**

 **Gokart: Repetitive.**

 **Kimran: ...**

 **Gokart: ...**

 **Kimran: Well, have fun with this story everyone!**

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 _ **~Essence~**_

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"Now, Robin! This is our chance! I'm going to finish it."

This was it.

This was their final moment.

The moment they had worked so hard for to reach.

The moment they fought for with all their being.

The moment that would change the future of the world, the people, history and even fate itself.

It was the last thrust that would decide everything; where their victory would finally be set in stone.

This was how it was supposed to be, what all the other people around him fought so hard to protect.

They believed their last goal was in reach.

And they weren't wrong.

 _However_ , they weren't completely right either.

Yes, it was the moment that would decide everything. The instant that would change the future forever.

Although, it wouldn't happen like they thought it would.

The fate, destiny, history, and future of the cursed time that lay in the not so distant future would not be decided or changed by the blow of the divine sword, and wouldn't end with Grimas imprisonment.

The dragon of damnation, the wings of despair, the false god would not be defeated by a simple slash of Falchion performed by the current exalt of Ylisse, prince Chrom.

The man who gave him a future and a home.

His brother in all but blood.

 _No._

The fell dragon Grima wouldn't be imprisoned for another thousand years by the decision of the exalted bloodline and the might of Naga.

It would _die_.

Here, and now.

Forever vanishing from the earth to never plague the world and its people ever again. To never again hurt the ones he loved, or rob them of their happy futures, and use him as a pawn in its sinister game. Robin would perform the act no one had thought possible. He would kill a God, a being that could only die by its own power.

They may not have followed the same path in life, they may have made different decisions, were affected by different circumstances, had different strengths and weaknesses, but in the end, they still were the same on a fundamental level.

Robin had accepted this unchangeable fact a while ago.

There was no point in discussing it further, as he rejected this fact for far, far too long already. You can't change who gives birth to you, no matter how much you want to, but, you can decide your own path in life. You can choose from an almost unlimited number of possibilities and results that can define your future. He had finally realized that it was through the help of his friends and his own hard work that allowed him to forge his own fate.

So, for as long as Robin had cursed what he was, what he could have become, what he became in that other world, in another time.

He was _happy_ now.

Happy about who he was and what he was able to do because of it, even if it came at the cost of his own life. Happy that he could end the damned future before it even began.

Therefore Robin stepped forward and pushed his best friend, his brother, out of the way interrupting the final sword swipe that would have sealed the false god away for the next thousand years. The blow that would have allowed him and his friends to life a happy and fulfilled life, but would have brought the chance of one day the wicked monster returning from his slumber.

He couldn't allow that, no matter how far in the future it would be.

Robin would never again let some demonic dragon steal away those happy futures. Not if he could stop the chance of it ever happening.

"Robin, what are you doing?!" The exalted prince as well as almost all other onlookers gasped in shock and confusion as Robin swiftly disarmed his surprised friend and continued by kicking away the only weapon that in their eyes could bring them victory, that could slay the fell Dragon.

Robin ignored the shocked exclamations, the confused screams of his friends and family as he stepped forward right in front of the kneeling and wounded form of the fell dragon's host body. He looked down at the pitiful existence of the man who apart from his glowing red eyes and unprecedented dark power; looked exactly like him.

The same snow white hair, light toned skin, wornout coat.

The same face.

 _So similar, yet so different._

Yet, the destroyer of worlds opened his mouth, an arrogant smile still adorning its face even in this beaten state, but Robin interrupted it before it could exclaim anything.

"I never thought that I would say this, but, I'm really glad that you and I are the same."

The arrogant smile fell away and was replaced by confusion as the fell dragon pondered the meaning of this confession.

"Because..." Robin exclaimed, as a lance of crackling lightning formed in his right hand. "...that means that I'm able to protect everything I love."

The dragons host body's eyes were widening in fear, as it finally understood what its counterpart was planning.

" **NO! You wouldn't dare! You would vanish with me!"** The furious cry of the being that once laid waste to a whole world, that tormented the few survivors for years, playing with them in sickening ways just for his own amusement, now trembling in fear and furious rage before him revealed to Robin what he already suspected. The dragon didn't fear the sword that could seal it away, or even its direct enemy Naga, but it did know and feared what would happen if it were to be struck down by one that holds the same essence as itself.

"Then we will vanish from the face of this world together, as we in a way share the blame for what happened in that future."

Robin's mind was set, there was no other way to ensure that Grima would never return, and no running away from the truth would change this fact. He would vanish while being surrounded by his friends, his family, and the ones he owed everything. The ones he would protect with everything he had. No fear, no regret, not even real doubt was plaguing his mind while thinking about what he had to do.

He knew that it was the right decision, that it was what he really wanted to do out of his own free will, uninfluenced by any fate or destiny.

Uncertainty of the uncontrollable however, was what had stopped him in the past from taking care about the last and most important responsibility he had left.

Stopping him from talking about his decision with his friends and family.

Robin turned to the man with whom everything had started, the man who had found him without memories lying in that field, so many years ago, who had decided to trust a total stranger that he had just met giving him a purpose, a family and a place to call home.

Chrom was staring at him intently, the dumbfounded look long gone from his face while Falchion lay to the side, already forgotten. The current exalt of Ylisse had seen through his intentions before he himself even declared them to the false god. Chrom had been one of the few people present as Naga revealed the possibility of him slaying Grima once and for all and had seemingly connected the threads right away, even as he was one of those that had vehemently rejected the idea of Robin sacrificing himself; viewing it as something foolish that he would never do.

Robin grinned gently at that, as he spoke to his best friend for what may be the last time. "You really are a lot more perceptive than most people give you credit for, huh Chrom?"

The only change in facial expressions was that the prince closed his eyes before he spoke. "You don't need to do this Robin, even if Grima comes back in the future, I'm sure that there will be people like us who are strong enough to seal him away again."

The blue haired prince paused for a moment before he added. "Don't risk your life, your future, just to atone for sins of others that you feel responsible for."

"Risk, huh? So you do believe that what Naga said is true? That the bonds that connect us like _invisible ties_ will be strong enough to bring me back?"

This was the moment the prince opened his eyes again meeting Robin's gaze, his stern look was replaced with a smile and a fire fueled by unyielding conviction was burning in his eyes. "Of course, even this destiny of yours will taste the power of our bonds and will suffocate on them if it tries to hold us back. We will show it, that no matter what... _Anything_ can change!"

The exaggerated exclamation so full of vigor and trust warmed Robin's heart. As his best friend even if he didn't like his selfish decision still stood behind him and believed that whichever choice they made, they would conquer destiny.

"But still, you know why I don't want you to risk it, if even the slightest chance of you not returning exists." The bluenette continued in a solemn tone as he turned his head too the two not so distant figures which stood there together listening intently to his and Robin's exchange.

"Did you plan to leave without at least saying goodbye to them, not to mention, without telling them your decision?"

Robin lowered his head at this words.

It wasn't that he hadn't _wanted_ to tell them.

It wasn't that he had _forgotten_ them.

The exact opposite was the case, he wanted to tell them, but he didn't know how.

Didn't know how to tell them without destroying any resolve he had, without changing his mind, as it wasn't the will of fate, the urge of destiny or even the order of a god that fueled his resolve. Only his own will, his own love for the ones most important to him was what urged him to take this path, and this was exactly why he couldn't take any chances.

For he was no hero of legend that seeks the elimination of all evil in the name of justice, no martyrer that would die for his cause no matter what. He was just a simple father, a loving husband that had the power to protect his family, and their hopes and dreams with them.

What did he care about the world? What did he care about what happened to the people in the future? His family was here, next to him, why should something else matter?

These were the thoughts he feared more than anything.

He didn't worry that his family would disapprove of his decision, that they would stop him from going through with it. No, the thing that he feared was not rejection, because he knew that his family would stand behind him no matter what. As they would knew that he did it for them, and because of what they had gone through.

No, what he dreaded more than anything else was that; after he told them his decision, after he saw their troubling expressions leave their faces, heard their protesting voices slowly subside and saw both being replaced by gentle smiles and supporting words...that he couldn't do it anymore, couldn't leave the family that loved him so much that they would even support his selfish act of risking everything to protect them and their dreams.

So, he hadn't told them.

He knew that it wasn't fair to them, as they had done nothing wrong.

For what he feared wasn't them, but the part that enabled him to love and be loved in the first place, his greatest strength, - his _humanity_.

That's why even if he tried, he would never be able to forget them, as they were the main reason for why he had to do this in the first place. They were the reason why he couldn't allow Grima the chance of ever returning, no matter if in a thousand or ten thousand years.

No matter if Grima was defeated and sealed away again, eventually. He couldn't allow Grima to ever return to the plane of the living. History had shown what the future would look like should he fail. He swore that he wouldn't let that happen again.

This was his resolve, no matter the cost.

"They may not like it, but they are the reason for why I must do this Chrom, the most important reason. Especially you should understand, that we can't have Lucina's future repeated. It doesn't matter in which time, it doesn't matter on which world, we can't allow it to ever happen again. That is the least we can do after all that she and the other future children have lived through."

Chrom just shocked his fist in desperation, unable to change his friend's mind.

"Gods be damned, Robin! I already told you that if you hurt my daughter I will find you wherever you are, regardless of whether this will be in heaven or hell, I will kick your ass!"

Robin just grinned at his friends promise of pain, not because he didn't believe that Chrom wouldn't manage to find him even in death or that it wouldn't hurt like hell when he did, which it definitely would, but due to the simple reason that he would never be able to hurt the person he loved more than anything on this world.

"Father, please don't go!"

Well, more than _almost_ everything at least.

He finally turned to the two blue haired women standing there, just some distance away, of which at least one of them seemed to have found her voice at last and apparently didn't want to just listen anymore to Chrom's and his conversation.

He looked at his time traveling daughter whose existence alone was a miracle atop of a miracle and who was also the best prove that the future wasn't set in stone.

That, as Chrom would put it, truly everything could change.

Because she was the daughter of a woman who traveled back in time from a lost future.

A woman who wanted to challenge her fate and that of the world.

A woman who planned to discard her own happiness if it enabled her to save the future.

Who planned to vanish from the face of the earth after achieving it, to be never seen again.

Who should have killed him to ensure the safety of the future.

Who in the end changed his fate, and rescued him from the darkness.

She was the woman who started to love him not only as a friend, but as the person that wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

Yes, Morgan was the daughter which in another time, another world shouldn't have existed, but did here due to the love of two people that should never have met like they did, hadn't it be for the whims of the universe and their own unbreakable will, with which they fought for their now shared future.

"Morgan, I will not be gone forever, you heard what Naga told us. Believe in the bonds we share, the bonds that led you to your mother and me once already." He wanted to believe in it...no, he _did_ believe in it, and even the small doubts that gnawed at the back of his mind wouldn't change that. It wouldn't destroy the trust and bonds that he shared with his loved ones.

His daughter looked at him with an expression that was close to crying, her fists were clenched tight around the sleeves of her coat. The coat that didn't just look like his, but was once his in that unknown future his daughter hailed from and was given to her by his counterpart of that world.

"But, I don't want you to leave dad! I want to be always with you and mother...I don't want to be alone and lost again... _please_...don't leave me!"

The almost pleading cry of his daughter felt like someone was slowly shoving a dagger into his heart. But, he couldn't stop now, couldn't turn his back to his decision.

"I'm sorry Morgan." Robin averted his eyes from his daughter and turned his sight on the last person that really mattered, that he needed to speak too.

"Lucina..."

His wife locked her gaze with his, her expression a mixture of anger, confusion, sorrow, resolve and affection. It truly was a paradox in itself, exactly like her existence on this plane. Robin chuckled at this thought, which caused his love to only frown harder at him as she still stood there silently, watching him.

"I will prevent your future from ever happening, you or anyone else will never have to live through such a nightmare again."

Lucina still just stared at him not saying a word. Instead, she grabbed one of Morgan's shaking hands and squeezed it, calming the younger girl down a little.

"Take care of Morgan while I'm away, who knows what chaos will ensue if no one has an eye on her all the time. She needs you, so no running away to your future either, just because I'm away for a moment, right?" Robin said trying to loosen the tension with as big as a smile as he could muster.

It didn't work, as the love of his life finally couldn't keep her tears and trembling voice at bay anymore.

"Robin...I...I..."

The tears were now running down her face, the beautiful face that he had always admired, while she squeezed her daughter's hand even harder as her other hand was placed right over her heart.

"I love you Robin! I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We already promised that we would grow old together, far away from any battle and bloodshed, didn't we?"

"I know, and I will keep my promise to you, no matter what. I will come back for you and Morgan. We changed fate once already, twice to be exact and we will manage to do it a third time."

A small smile formed on the still crying face of his beloved wife as she whispered something almost inaudible.

"...as our hope will never die..."

"I will help too! I will use everything that you both have taught me, there is no way that an amazing family as ours would not be able to achieve anything they want to! Especially with me helping, I'm the prodigy daughter of the best mother and father after all!"

Robin smiled at the energetic declaration of his daughter who just for a moment acted as lively as she always did.

He wanted to just run over to them, scooping both of them up in one big hug.

But, he couldn't and they knew it.

Even if they couldn't see it, they felt the invisible boundary that existed between them.

That if they or he were to cross it, it might destroy any resolve he had left, and that he Instead would hug his two most loved girls on the world and would never let them go.

Robin glanced to his side where he saw the still wounded and weakened form of the fell dragon regain his ability to move again. As Grima slowly raised from the kneeling position he had been in, having only be able to listen and watch the whole events unfold before him.

Black energy of destruction was gathering in the left hand of the rising fell dragon, which it doubtlessly planned to hurl into the distracted Shepherds, eradicating them once and for all.

" **I am the wings of despair! I am the breath of ruin! I am the fell dragon, Grima! And I will not be ended by vermin like you! My reign of terror will never end!"**

The demonic dragon declared in rage, certain that his attack would spell his victory.

 _But_ , it was already too late.

Robin had started moving the second he had noticed the rising fell dragon. He closed the short distance that had separated him and Grima in a single instant. The crackling lightning lance still gripped tight into his right hand, never once having let go of it, as he knew that this exact moment would arise.

"You are wrong, Grima! It will end right here, right now!"

And with _one_ thrust, _one_ single attack, _one_ single movement did the lighting lance penetrate right through the beating heart of not only the body of his counterpart, of the man who was so similar to him and yet so different, but through the imaginary heart of the mighty fell dragon as well.

The dark magic gathered in the hands of the fell dragon dissipated instantly, as the host body stumbled backwards surprise and disbelief written all over its face as it looked down onto the lightning lance that sprouted from its chest.

The scene which in a morbid and ironical way appeared so similar to the one nightmare that haunted Robin ever since awakening without memories in this world, the nightmare of him killing his best friend, seemed to last for an eternity until the host body of the fell dragon finally dropped out of his shocked state and crumbled unmoving to the ground.

Robin smiled melancholic at the dissolving body that puffed purple particles of smoke from the wound he had suffered. This was it, this was the final moment where one future would end and a new one would begin.

"Huh..?"

Suddenly, Robin fell to his knees as all strength seemed to have left his body in an instant. He heard the shocked cries of his friends and family and as he looked down to his legs that had already begun to slowly fade away into nothingness, he understood why.

"Ah, I see, that is fast...I don't even get time to process what is happening? Drawing the short stick as always." He sighed to himself. Well, no time to postpone the goodbyes any longer then.

No, if he thought about it, goodbye wasn't the right expression. It wasn't a goodbye, but more of a promise of seeing each other again. However, before he could look up or even open his mouth again, something crashed into him. Hugging, or more like squashing, him from behind.

He heard the familiar sobbing, could see the familiar blue hair and purple coat out of the corner of his eyes.

"Don't cry, Morgan."

Instead of answering his daughter just increased the intensity of her hug that he was sure could crush stone, and buried her head into her father's back muffling her uncontrollable sobs.

He looked up to all of his friends, his eternal comrades, his beloved family.

"Chrom, _everyone_...thank you for making me part of this big family, thank you for giving me a home, a place to return too."

"Dammit, Robin! This isn't how it is supposed to end! You better return soon or I will hurl your sorry ass back here myself!" The blue haired prince, his best friend cried in mocking anger and real helplessness.

The many cries, shouts and declarations that followed by his fellow Shepherds were all blending into one another, but they all had one thing in common. They were all promises of trust in him and that they were confident that they would meet again in the future.

Robin then dislodged his daughter from his back and turned to her, hugging her tightly once before letting go, starting to pat her head in a soothing manner. "Morgan, thank you for showing me the wonders of being a father. You are the best daughter any father could ever wish for. I love you."

His daughter smiled widely at him as she used one of the sleeves of her coat to wipe away the still ongoing tears and snot on her face. "I love you too, father! Don't worry I will also keep an eye on mother, but please don't be gone too long you still need to teach me so much about tactics so that I can one day be a Grandmaster like you!"

He smiled at his daughter and then, again, locked gaze with the person he loved the most.

For what may truly be the last time.

She stood before him tears rolling down her face, as she looked at him with a gentle smile, her hand folded over her chest as if she wanted to pray. "Lucina, the time that we spend together was the most fulfilling in my whole life, you showed me that I don't need to shoulder all burdens by myself and that no matter what the future holds, we should cherish every moment. So that is why I wouldn't trade the time we have left together for anything other in the whole world, and why I will return to you without fail, no matter what."

"You showed me much the same, Robin." She smiled at him lovingly. "For the longest time I was convinced that my duty to save the future stood over everything else. That my only purpose was to watch over my parents to ensure their safety and that of the world." Her gentle smile widened a little as she spoke the next words. "But, then I met you. The brilliant and sometimes clumsy tactician that my father was always so suspiciously close to. I still remember the first time I couldn't repress a small giggle as I saw some of your antics with the other Shepherds, and it felt strange how you often noticed me and invited me to sit down and talk."

Pausing for just a single moment, surely reminiscing the events long past, Lucina continued in a very content sounding tone. "It all happened so fast after that; fighting, talking and spending more and more time together. Always being happy after seeing you…and all I want now is to spend the rest of my days with you. To start a future of our own together, having so much to live for..."

"That's how it's supposed to be…"He replied with a honest smile before reaching out, intertwining her hand with his.

"...I love you Lucina."

"I love you too, Robin." Lucina whispered before she slung her arms around his neck, embracing him in a deep and long kiss.

They stayed like this for just a moment alone in their own world where nothing could bother them, and nothing could distract them from each other, before eventually ending the kiss. Now only looking in each other's eyes, their faces just centimeters apart.

His body had already vanished up to his chest by now.

Robin placed the palm of his right hand right below Lucina's eye that displayed the mark of Naga and began rubbing her cheek soothingly with his thumb.

"I will search for you love, no matter how long it takes, regardless to which lengths I need to go I will find you as our bonds are strong. Strong enough to challenge any fate!" Lucina declared, a fire very similar to that of her father burning in her eyes as her sadness was still visible, tears continuing to roll down her face.

"I know you will."

Robin continued to smile at Lucina as his right hand that just moments ago had touched her skin vanished into thin air, the process seemingly happening faster and faster now.

Only a few seconds left. _However_ , they were more than enough.

"Chrom. Lucina. Morgan. Shepherds!" He shouted the names of the ones that meant the most to him, addressed all the people who were surrounding him, that were standing besides him in his final moments.

And they all looked at him, every single one of them was listening silently to the last words that their friend, their tactician, a member of their family had to say.

"May we meet again, in a different place and a better time."

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~END~

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 **Please leave a Review and tell me what you think guys**!


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